Depending on who you ask, the Golden State Warriors either made a laughable mistake or a promising upside swing in trading for Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline.
His health issues are notable, and detractors will view the trade as the disastrous conclusion to Jonathan Kuminga's time in Golden State. Given the skill-set he provides, however, there's room to view the acquisition with some optimism.
If Porzingis can truly stay healthy and make an impact on the Warriors over the remainder of the season, perhaps bringing him back on a cheaper contract this offseason could finally land them the center they've long sought after.
Yet the impact of Porzingis's acquisition does not need to be viewed solely from a long-term perspective. Although Golden State has effectively been eliminated from championship contention, he gives the fans something to hope for as the team hits rock bottom.
Kristaps Porzingis gives fans something to root for, and that's a huge relief
Even if Stephen Curry was available, it would be silly to have serious expectations for the Warriors on a game-to-game basis. With Curry out for at least another 10 days with lingering knee soreness, their post-All-Star Break chances look pretty dismal.
That became immediately apparent on Thursday night against the Boston Celtics. Although Golden State found their footing in the second half, it wasn't enough to overcome the Celtics' 74-point first-half onslaught. With Curry out, it's highly probable the next few games look depressingly like this one.
But Porzingis looked solid in his first action since Jan. 7. He seemed agile on the court, disrupting opponents' paths to the rim and even knocking down a pair of shots from beyond the arc.
Of course, his minutes weren't perfect. There's spacing and ball-movement issues to be ironed out, and the defensive pairing of him and Draymond Green will take time to percolate.
But if Porzingis can remain on the court consistently through the Warriors' next 26 games, his skill-set is something to be seriously excited about. It's arguably something the team has lacked throughout the entirety of Curry's career.
If we're being honest here, this team has little chance to advance out of the first round of the playoffs as they're currently constructed. But the rest of the season will provide fans a chance to see what Curry can do with the floor-spacing, rim-protecting big man they've always clamored for.
If it turns out well, perhaps this season won't be a complete waste after all.